


Under the Moon

by dragons_and_angels



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Asexual Castiel, Faeries - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:03:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3814855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragons_and_angels/pseuds/dragons_and_angels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Faerie Dean and human Castiel met when they were children but haven't seen each other since. When a dark Fae by the name of Abaddon starts moving against the human world, Dean is one of the first to volunteer to go hunt her down. And his mission just happens to take him back to Cas' home. Between the Fae, their friends and their joint past, it would be a miracle if they even manage to have one conversation together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Under the Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3814774) by [sternchencas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sternchencas/pseuds/sternchencas). 



> First of all, thanks very much to Haley (datemeimasuperhero on tumblr) for being my beta. I handed her this 20k fic and she managed to beta the whole thing in two days and did a brilliant job. She put up with me sending her the fic late and me throwing commas all over the fic, so a lot of thanks to her. That being said, any remaining mistakes are mine and mine alone. I do use British spellings, I try to use American phrases. 
> 
> Please check out the art by peachfuzzcas! It's brilliant and not only did I get one picture, but two and they did all this even with me not sending them fic on time. Thanks!
> 
> There is some violence and blood in this fic. I don't think it's major and it's definitely not as bad as Supernatural itself but just so you're aware.

Dean laughed as he hid under the car. He was the size of a small human child so it was easy enough for the faerie to fit under it without 'cheating' as Cas put it.   
  
"Come on, Dean! You know I'm bad at this." Dean could hear the pout in Cas' voice without seeing him and he smothered his giggle in his hands. Cas' feet circle the car and then moved away. He wanted to pout himself. It was no fun if Cas took too long.  
  
Decision made, he pulled himself out from under the car. He was covered in dirt, looking more like his little brother than himself as he searched the junkyard for Cas.   
  
"I found you!" He jumped and turned to see Cas standing on top of one of the abandoned cars, looking so proud of himself. Dean felt cheated but couldn't help smiling at the look on Cas' face.   
  
"I guess you're better at this than you thought," Dean teased as he took a running leap onto the same car as Cas. He was a little taller than Cas and he was definitely older, considering how Fae aged slower than humans. Cas was probably younger in human years than Dean’s little brother, Sam, but Dean didn’t look on Cas as a younger brother.  
  
"Maybe I just know you better," Cas replied. He hesitated before leaning closer to Dean and whispering, "Can you show me the magic?"   
  
Dean really shouldn't, his mother would have his head for it, but Cas' eyes were so blue and excited and he was Dean's best friend. He checked there was no one around before twisting his hand slightly. The mini tornado was no taller than some of the cars but it pulled in dirt and small pieces of scrap in an instant.   
  
Cas' face lit up and then Dean was too busy watching him to pay attention to his surroundings. When he was pulled off the car by an iron fist that it’s finger into his arm, he cried out in surprise. The world tilted and he reached for Cas with a desperate hand. The tornado died an abrupt death.  
  
"Dean!" Cas looked horrified and slid off the car, ignoring the sound of ripping fabric as he did so. "Let him go."  
  
He looked so brave and Dean drank in the sight of him, not even turning to see the face of his captor. He knew that this would be one of the last times he would see Castiel and he wanted to make it last.   
  
"I knew I should have paid more attention to where you went. I wanted you to be followed but I was convinced to let young boys have their freedom. No Fae takes well to being imprisoned." His mother's voice was as unwelcome as it was expected. She released Dean's shoulder but he didn't turn around.   
  
"Cas, it's okay," Dean said quietly, trying to reassure Cas as best he could without touching him. Cas had reached out to Dean but hadn’t moved closer as he glanced quickly between Dean and Dean’s mother. Dean didn't need to look to know that his mother had not attempted to don a human camouflage for this.  
  
"It is not okay, Dean!" His mother snapped. "You risk exposure for the sake of impressing your friend. How could you be so selfish?"  
  
Dean felt his shoulders hunch but he had to defend Cas. "He won't tell anyone!"   
  
"No, he won't," his mother said heavily. That was the thing that made Dean turn around to look at her. She was looking at Cas, no longer angry, just pensive. She glanced down at Dean. "You know what I have to do."   
  
With a flash, Dean understood. "No!" He yelled, jumping to Cas' side and pulling the surprised boy behind him. "Please don't. Cas won't tell anyone, please don't take his memories." Cas' hands came up to grip the back of Dean's T-shirt as he realised what was going on. Dean reached a hand back to grip at Cas' shirt as well. He wouldn't let Cas be taken from him.   
  
His mother looked sad as she looked down at him. "Dean, you know the consequences," she said quietly.   
  
"Please," he begged. The tears pricking his eyes burned and he felt the human camouflage start to break apart. Cas' hands released and then tightened on the back of his shirt. "You're not going to let me come back already. Please just leave him alone."   
  
His mother looked at him quietly for several moments. Cas pressed himself against Dean's back. He could feel the younger boy shaking.  
  
"Castiel," his mother said, switching her gaze to Dean's friend. "I will not take the memories of Dean from you." Dean stayed tense. There was no way they were getting off that easily. "But I will have to blur your knowledge and memories of magic. Is that an agreeable compromise?"   
  
"Mother!" Dean said pleadingly before his Mother sent him a sharp glance.   
  
"Dean, it is Castiel's decision," she said. Dean quieted but he still hung onto Cas. He would be there for his friend, no matter what.   
  
"I'll still remember everything about Dean?" Cas said hopefully and Dean's mother nodded.   
  
"Dean is right. He cannot be allowed to return to you, but hopefully the memories will bring you comfort." The tears escaped Dean's eyes and he stifled a sob, not wanting to influence Cas' decision. His mother glanced at him and her eyes softened, but the glow probably made it hard for Cas to tell.   
  
"Is there anything I can say that means Dean can stay?" Cas asked quietly and Dean let his eyes fall closed. He was going to miss Cas, really miss him. Maybe in the future he could return but not for years. Even with Cas was allowed to keep his memories, there was no guarantee he would even remember a boy who had only been around for a few months and wouldn't even have magic to be memorable. He had known that humans lived their lives in a different way but he had never been confronted with it so directly before.  
  
"No. I'm sorry, Castiel." His mother sounded sincere and Dean opened his eyes.   
  
"I want to keep my memories of Dean then. But…" Cas trailed off. Dean turned to look at Cas, still not letting go of him. "I want to say goodbye first," Cas said, staring at Dean's mother.   
  
"Of course. I can't leave you alone though." But she did walk a few steps away and turned to look out at the junkyard, giving them the appearance of privacy if nothing else.   
  
Cas wrapped his arms around Dean's waist and buried his face in Dean's shoulder. Dean stilled before putting his arms around Cas as well. "I wish I didn't have to go," he said.   
  
"Who is she, Dean? Her eyes are the same as yours. Do you look like that underneath?" Cas pulled back from Dean a little when his voice was too muffled by Dean's shoulder. Dean rubbed a hand over Cas' back.   
  
"She's my mother, so yeah. Is that a problem?" Cas stared up at Dean, his eyes looking even bluer this close.   
  
"Can I see? I know I won't remember, but I still want to see your real face." Cas’ eyes looked wider if possible, pleading with Dean one last time. He was unable to resist and let his human glamour fall. When he opened his eyes, he saw Cas' eyes widen. He knew his eyes were glowing now and his skin had taken on a pale grey tinge. His teeth had sharpened so he kept his lips shut in order to not freak Cas out even more. "Thank you," Cas said and pressed his face back against Dean's shoulder.   
  
"Oh, Cas." He hadn't even flinched, he had gone straight back to being Dean's friend. "I'm going to miss you so much."   
  
"Me too." They didn't say anything else, just hugged each other until Dean's mother stepped closer.   
  
"Time to go, Dean," she said, breaking the moment. He pulled away from Cas, but not too far. Cas looked up at him, not even fazed with how close their faces were. Dean rested his forehead against Cas'. It was a little too close to really look at Cas but it satisfied Dean's need to be as close as possible.   
  
"Bye, Cas," he whispered.   
  
"Bye, Dean." This time Cas was the one to start crying and Dean pulled into a hug.   
  
"Please don't cry, Cas."   
  
"I'm going to do it now," his mother said and Dean hugged Cas tighter. Cas didn't say anything but he returned the hug. Mother reached out and touched Cas' forehead. His weight fell against Dean as his breath left him in a sigh. "It's done." She reached to take Cas but Dean jerked away. He would carry Cas back. Faerie strength was something he hadn't shown Cas before and now he wouldn't be able to.   
  
After they had put Cas back in his bed, Dean and his mother stared up at Cas' house. "Bye, Cas." His mother put a hand on his shoulder and they vanished from the human world. 


	2. Chapter 2

The insurance company where Castiel worked was big and box-like and grey, just like his cubicle on the 10th floor and his boss, who had yet to smile in Castiel’s presence. His co-workers were the only bright spots in his day.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked as he walked in at eight forty-five on the dot to find Charlie balancing on her desk as she did something with the security camera. Lisa was standing next to Charlie with her arms half-raised, looking like she was going to try to catch her if she started to fall.   
  
"Rewiring the security camera," Charlie replied cheerfully. "If I can get this right, I can hack into all the security cameras in the building." Castiel went over to his cubicle and put his briefcase down. It had been a birthday gift from his cousin, Zachariah, and the last time he had tried to accidentally lose it Michael had wanted to talk about his lack of ambition. He unpacked his bag, putting his lunch in the bottom drawer and plugging his phone into his charger. After following his usual morning routine, he went back to investigate.  
  
Charlie had finished with the camera and was now sitting cross legged on the table with her laptop on her lap. Lisa was bending over the table, trying to catch a glimpse of the screen.   
  
"Why do you want to watch everything in the building?" Castiel asked as he sat down on the table on the other side of Charlie to Lisa.  
  
"I want to know who is breaking into the building at night. They don't trip any of the building's alarms and don't seem to be hacking into the computer systems either. And I'm curious."   
  
Lisa shrugged. "It's more exciting than doing our actual jobs." She squinted her eyes at the screen. "What's that?"   
  
"I'm not sure," Charlie replied, squinting as well. "A smudge on the camera? No wait, it's gone now." Castiel was a little curious now and Lisa was right. It was better than doing his actual job. He moved to Charlie's other side and looked at the screen. "Castiel, back up a little, your hair is in my mouth.”  
  
"I apologise." He straightened up a bit, but kept his eye on the screen as Charlie replayed the clip. A black shadow flickered across the screen for about two seconds. It did look like it was a smudge on the screen except for the fact it moved.   
  
"What about slowing it down?" Lisa asked. Charlie hummed a little as she pulled up some sort of program and typed in some commands. Cas didn't know anything about coding. Or hacking. Or programming. He barely managed to use his computer for the work his actual job required, but it was clear that this was an area Charlie excelled in.  
  
"Okay, I've got it," she said a few minutes later and replayed the video. This time the black shadow crawled across the screen, but this time out of the shadows, they could see a person dressed in some sort of black, shimmery material. It seemed to be a woman with pale skin and red hair but all other features were blurred and indistinct.   
  
"How is that possible?" Lisa asked after a shocked silence between the three of them.  
  
"What are you three doing?" Charlie slammed the laptop lid down and all three of them looked up to see their boss, Mr Campbell, standing over them. His eyebrows were drawn together and his arms were crossed. Castiel didn't know what to say and it seemed, neither did Lisa or Charlie. "Get back to work."   
  
Castiel hurried back to work but all morning long all he could think about was the shape on the screen. It seemed to be a woman but the way she moved on camera was impossible. No person could turn into black smoke and move fast enough to not show up on security cameras.   
  
Ruby, from upstairs came down around lunchtime to wander up and down between the cubicles and annoy everyone into leaving the floor for lunch. It was a tradition, just like Charlie playing online games on her laptop after finishing her work for the day and Lisa trying to get everyone to try out yoga.   
  
"Cas-ti-el," she drawled, stalking up to lean on the top of his cubicle wall. Her blonde hair slipped over the side of the cubicle and dangled over Castiel's keyboard. He brushed it away impatiently. "Lunch, Castiel?"   
  
"Last time I went to lunch with you, Ruby, you left me with the entire bill after eating three courses." He didn't have much else to spend his money on since he still lived at home but it had been a really long lunch. He could only handle Ruby in small doses.   
  
"I was hungry and you're the man. You're supposed to pay!"   
  
"That is an outdated custom based on how men were paid more than women when doing the same job. And it wasn't even a date," he added onto the end.   
  
"Don't get me started on equal pay," Tracy said from her own cubicle from in front of Castiel. She stood up and shouldered her purse. "Coming, Castiel?"   
  
"What? How come you accept her lunch invitation and not mine?" Ruby's mouth turned down at the corners and she looked between Tracy and Castiel, eyes narrowed. Castiel sighed.   
  
"Well, you can both come along," Charlie said, popping out of nowhere. "Because we have a mystery to solve." Tracy and Ruby blinked at her. "And if you don't get along, then I'll sign you both up for Lisa's yoga class."   
  
"Hey!" Lisa stalked up, buttoning up her coat. "My class isn't that bad!"   
  
"For someone who can put their feet behind their head, it's fine. For us regular mortals, it leads to pain and staying in bed the next day."   
  
"I'm okay with that," Ruby said suddenly and in the next second Lisa was beside her, giving her a flyer and talking a mile a minute. Charlie eyed the two of them for a second, before glancing at Castiel.   
  
"So, what's this mystery?" Tracy asked impatiently.   
  
"Ah, come with me, young padawan and I shall explain." Now that sounded like a much more interesting lunch than Castiel had been expecting. He quickly grabbed his trenchcoat, but purposely left his briefcase behind. Some day he would throw it under a train or something. Probably about the same time he stood up to Michael.   
  
It felt much more comfortable being in a large group of people when those people weren't his family. Ruby and Lisa had talked about yoga all the way to the cafe and Charlie kept teasing Tracy and Castiel with hints about what was going on.  
  
As they were nearing the cafe, he caught a dark shape dart out of the corner of his eye. When he looked at the window of the bridal shop, the only things he could see were white dresses on pale mannequins. No sign of the dark shape.   
  
"Castiel?" He turned to see Charlie and Tracy looking at him. Lisa and Ruby were walking on, oblivious. "You okay?" Charlie asked.   
  
"I'm fine." He mentally shook himself. It was just his imagination. "Where are we eating?"   
  
"Just a little further," Charlie said, obviously not believing Castiel but choosing not to question it. "It's a cafe run by this guy called Ash. He opened it in pairing with the Roadhouse, you know that bar I took you to?"   
  
"I remember," Castiel said. Ellen had been kind without being overbearing. She and her daughter, Jo, had warmed to Castiel after he won three straight drinking games in a row. He wanted to go back but his Aunt Naomi had made that very difficult after she discovered where he was going. His cousin Balthazar had a theory that she had tracking devices hidden on all of them. He had been drunk when he proposed this theory but it had sounded credible enough to Castiel.   
  
"Here it is!" Lisa said from the front. They veered into a cafe that was crowded with people with laptops and seemed to be made up of many different levels. The walls were covered with posters and the furniture seemed to be a mishmash of various styles. It was jumbled and chaotic and none of them stood out at all. It was very different to the Roadhouse but Castiel felt the same as he did there.   
  
"There's a seat. Let's sit and then order food."  
  
Even though the cafe was crowded, Charlie seemed to find a table easily and got them seated. As she went up to order food, Castiel felt like he should say something but he couldn't think of anything to say. Charlie was the one he was the friendliest with after all but luckily they seemed more occupied in questioning Lisa about what Charlie was hiding.  
  
Castiel looked up as soon as Charlie came back but his attention was pulled away. He recognised the guy that just left the cafe even if it had been years since they had seen each other and followed him without another thought.   
  
"Castiel!" Charlie called after him. He heard her but carried on. It had been years, how could he be back in town now? He left the cafe and looked back and forth frantically down the street, trying to catch sight of the man that had just left. There were barely any people in sight on the street and none of them were tall, with fair hair and wearing a leather jacket.  
  
"Dean," he said quietly, feeling his hope die completely as he took another look both ways. He wasn't here. And even if he was in town, there was no guarantee that he would even remember Castiel.  
  
He stepped aside so a tall young man and a woman with bright red hair could leave the cafe before he went inside to join the others. He shouldn't have even gotten his hopes up.  


	3. Chapter 3

"That was foolish," Cassie said as soon as Dean appeared in the alleyway. Her arms were folded and she was giving Dean the sternest of looks. The only one who could make Dean feel guiltier than Cassie was Sam.  
  
"Yeah, I know," he admitted. He turned around and peered around the corner of the alleyway. Cas was looking the other way down the street and Dean ducked his head back around. "I just had to see him. Had to make sure he was okay."  
  
"And I understand that, but the more attention you pay to him, the more likely someone is going to notice. We don’t want Abaddon to know about him." Dean stepped back from temptation.  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Sam and Anna came around the corner. As soon as Sam caught sight of Dean, he opened his mouth. "Don't bother, Sammy. Cassie already said everything." He scratched the back of his head and very carefully did not look back at the mouth of the alleyway.  
  
Sam looked a little off-balance now. "I know you wanted to see him. I'm sorry, Dean."  
  
All this sympathy was killing him. "Let's just focus on getting rid of Abaddon and then everything can go back to normal." Habit had him checking all his weapons, including the knife that was rumoured to the only thing that could kill Abaddon for good. It focused him back on their goal. He didn't say anything about not wanting things to go back to normal, but one step at a time.  
  
"Sure, Dean." Cassie turned to Anna and Sam, her sympathetic aura fading. "What do we have?"  
  
"Abaddon had not been there but the stench of Orthon is all around and when I asked the mortals behind the counter, they said a new girl has started, called 'Meg'. It has been described as a young woman, dark hair and eyes, pale skin. They seem enchanted with her." Anna's derision for Orthon was plain to hear. They had more than their fair share of history.  
  
"So, she's going to come back to the cafe. We need to be watching but we must not alert her to our presence unless we capture her," Dean said. "Sam, you and Cassie stakeout the cafe. Do not alert Orthon to us being here, no questioning the people behind the counter. Watch for a few days, record her shifts and any unusual behaviour but don't interfere unless someone's in danger or you think she's made you. Got it?"  
  
"Yes." Cassie nodded, speaking over Sam's protests.  
  
"Good. Anna and I will get the tracking spell sorted." Now Anna was the one who looked displeased.  
  
"I think I could do a lot more if I watched Orthon as well," she protested.  
  
"No. I want you as far away from Orthon as possible," he said to Anna before turning to Sam. "And I know that you will be so bored on the stakeout that you'll start researching." Sam gave him a withering look. "And Cassie, I know you won't jump too soon with Orthon but if there's any sign of the others, then let Anna or I know immediately."  
  
Cassie nodded. "Got it. Come on, Sam."  
  
She and Sam left, Sam casting one last displeased glance back at Dean but Dean was thinking of the look on Cas' face in the split second they made eye contact. Cas looked like he had remembered him even though it had been over fifteen years since they had seen each other. Mother had warned him that humans were fickle and their memories faded with time so easily.  
  
With everything he had, he hoped she was wrong.  
  
***  
  
After his sighting of who he thought was Dean at the cafe, Castiel could not concentrate on anything else throughout the rest of lunch nor for the rest of the day. Charlie invited him out to movie night with her and her girlfriend but Castiel had been the third wheel too many times. Last time, Dorothy had warned him off coming to the next one.  
  
"I'm going back home. Thanks for lunch, Charlie." He waved goodbye. After she left, the office was empty apart from him and with a sigh, he started to pack up his work to go home. Michael and Luke wouldn't be home for hours, and Gabe had all but moved out, but Rachel and Hael might be there. Work would be a good distraction, at least Rachel wouldn't question him about his love life.  
  
Charlie and he had a habit of staying late and so when Castiel left, nearly everyone had gone. He passed a janitor he didn't recognise and walked a little quicker at the look in his eyes. He felt a bit ridiculous when he got to the elevator but as the doors closed, he saw that the janitor was still staring at him.  
  
"It's fine. You're just imagining things," he said to himself. Still, he texted Rachel anyway to say that he was on his way home. But it was all for naught, since he got out of the building without any trouble. He didn't drive and the bus always took a long time to come but he walked a little slower now he was out of work.  
  
That is, until he heard footsteps and then looked up to see no one there. The sound continued but he was the only person on the whole street. He looked both ways but although the footsteps were echoing around him, there was still no sign of the cause. The street lamp above him went out.  
  
"Hello?" He asked. His heart was pounding in his chest and he gripped his briefcase tighter.  
  
"Hello." When he spun around, there was a young woman only a few feet from him. She was pretty enough, with brown hair, dark eyes, and pale skin. Her smile made Castiel feel strange though and he leaned back a little. Politeness kept him rooted in place. "My name is Meg. What's yours?"  
  
"Castiel," he answered automatically and instantly wished he could take it back. He should have given a false name or refused to answer. Something.  
  
"Do you work at Roman industries, Castiel?" Meg asked and Castiel nodded slowly. Meg's smile widened and forgetting all manners, Castiel took a step back. "Good."  
  
A sudden movement had Castiel bringing his briefcase up, only for it to explode in a mess of leather and paper. He had a split second to be grateful that at least the briefcase was gone before turning tail and sprinting away from Meg. Anyone who could do that is someone he wanted to be far away from.  
  
"Where are you going, Castiel?" She called gleefully. "We were having such a pleasant chat." The next second, Castiel's feet were swept out from under him and he flew up before landing hard on the ground. His whole body ached and his head swum but he struggled to his feet. Meg was walking closer, not even running. Castiel pulled out his phone but it was whipped out of his hand and into the street.  
  
"How did you do that?" He asked Meg. He kept backing away although he didn't think it would do much good.  
  
"Oh, you mortals. Always want an explanation for everything." Then she stopped. "Well, I suppose you're cute and I can wait a minute.  
  
"Why were you interested in where I worked?" Castiel asked quickly.  
  
"You were there much later than we would have liked," Meg said, still smiling. She started walking towards him. "It's just, you being hit by a bus will solve a lot of our problems."  
  
Castiel felt cold inside. He was going to die here and there was nothing he could do to fight against whatever Meg was. "Why hit by a bus?"  
  
"Well, we don't want to draw any unwanted attention." Meg's smile disappeared like blowing out a candle when she caught sight of someone over Castiel's shoulder. She snarled. "No!"  
  
A sharp twang had Castiel ducking to the ground and when he looked up, Meg had vanished and there was an arrow lying in the road.  
  
"Are you alright?" A feminine voice had him raising his head quickly. This woman was also very pretty with dark, curly hair, brown skin and a kind smile. It was so different to Meg's smile that he found himself pushing up into a kneeling position.  
  
"I'm fine." His head was pounding and several parts of his body were aching but he couldn't see Meg anywhere, only the woman and a tall, dark-haired man who looked vaguely familiar  
  
"You're Castiel," the man said, looking surprised. Immediately Castiel was on edge again. There were too many strangers interested in him tonight. He pushed himself up to standing, even as his head objected to the move.  
  
"How do you know my name?" He asked, drawing back from the woman. His clothing was ripped and dirty, his whole body ached, and he kept thinking of his shower and warm bed at home.  
  
"We can't tell you, Castiel," the woman said, glancing at the man. Castiel set his jaw before forcing himself to relax so he wouldn't shout at strangers. "Let's just get you home safe."  
  
"I think I will call a cab," Castiel said. "Thank you for all your help." Even if they won't tell him what was going on. Maybe it was better that way.


	4. Chapter 4

Castiel planned to go into work the next day, he really did, but he ended up waking at ten with his whole body feeling battered and sore. The jolt and frantic scramble after he saw the time didn't make him feel any better.   
  
"Castiel." His sister, Hael, walked in with two mugs in her hands while he panicked. "I called you in sick. Your boss was surprised but quite understanding when I explained."   
  
"You called me in sick?" Castiel asked, stopping his search for clothes as he stared at his sister. Hael sighed and stepped closer.   
  
"You were mugged, Castiel. You deserve a day off after such a trauma and I know you must be bruised after you said you were thrown to the ground." Hael handed one of the mugs to him and he took it automatically. "Tea, Castiel."   
  
Castiel sipped the drink as he stared at his sister. His family was not familial in the normal way. Concern, like Hael seemed to be showing, was unusual enough without the bringing of drinks to his bedside.   
  
"I'm fine, Hael," he said, unable to vocalise the questions he really wanted to ask. Maybe some things would be better if they were ignored.   
  
"Of course you are. But a little rest never hurt and it's better than going into work when you're feeling sore and tired," Hael said briskly before leaving his room without another word, carrying her mug with her.   
  
Castiel felt like he had said something wrong but he couldn't think of what.   
  
The day was long and although Castiel tried to go back to sleep, he felt like a fraud, missing work when he wasn't actually sick. His job wasn't physically demanding, he could sit at a desk without too much pain. It was too late now.   
  
All his work had been in his briefcase and thinking about the fate of it made Castiel feel sick so he tried not to think about it. At least he had a good reason for losing it, Michael couldn’t blame him for that. He started to watch the show Charlie had been talking about, Game of Thrones, and it managed to pull him in for an episode before he ended up switching that off as well.   
  
"Castiel, you have a visitor," Hael called up the stairs and Castiel sat up in confusion before Charlie came in.   
  
"Hey, Castiel. Nice PJs." She smiled and Castiel felt his cheeks heat. He was wearing his old Star Trek pyjamas, needing something soft and familiar after what had happened last night.   
  
"Charlie, what are you doing here?" Castiel asked. He fought the urge to pull the blankets up to his chin.   
  
"I came to comfort poor, sick Castiel. Not that you look that sick, although it is weird for you to miss work, but I thought you would like to hear all the gossip." She threw herself down on his bed, her bag slipping off her shoulder and onto the floor.   
  
"What gossip?" Castiel ignored the invitation to talk about why he had missed work and focused instead on the other subject.   
  
Charlie rolled over and pulled several sheets of paper out of her bag. "Well, for one thing, I looked a bit more at the surveillance tapes. And there were more people in black. Not only the woman with red hair. As much as I would like to stick up for a fellow redhead, there is something really fishy about this."   
  
Castiel looked down at the pictures. Another one of the red-haired woman, her features still unclear. Then two dark haired women, one of which looked strangely familiar. Castiel squinted at the picture, trying to place her features, and then almost threw the pictures across the room once he realised.   
  
Charlie looked surprised and took the pictures from Castiel's suddenly nerveless hands. "What is it?" She looked at the picture but judging by her furrowed brow, couldn't see anything new.   
  
"I was off work today cause I was mugged. Or I think I was mugged."   
  
"Oh God, are you okay?" Castiel waved off Charlie's question. He needed to finish otherwise he never would.   
  
"That woman, in the picture, she said her name was Meg and then she did... something that destroyed my briefcase. Like blew it to smithereens. Then she chased me and talked about how she was going to throw me in front of a bus and then there were arrows and this man and woman chased her off." He took in a shaky breath, unable to believe that he had actually told someone. It sounded more unbelievable when he said it out loud.   
  
"That is..." Charlie trailed off, looking between the picture of Meg and Castiel's face. "And you're sure it's her?"   
  
Castiel nodded. He stared at the wall behind Charlie because otherwise he was going to be sick.   
  
"You know," Charlie said thoughtfully. "Tracy went to check out the place in this photograph." She pointed to where the red-haired woman was photographed. It was the stairwell leading to the basement level. "And she fell down the stairs." Charlie's voice dropped down to a whisper as if someone was listening that she didn't want to overhear.   
  
"Is she okay?" Castiel asked. His heart sank as Charlie shook her head.   
  
"She's got a broken collarbone. She'll have to wear a sling for at least eight weeks. She's pissed because she can't do kickboxing or judo or swimming in that whole time."   
  
"And she was where this woman had been last night?" Castiel pulled the photo of the woman with red hair closer to him. He tried not to touch the picture of Meg.   
  
"Yeah. And you saying this stuff about the other intruder along with Tracy's accident… it's really freaking me out," she admitted.   
  
Castiel nodded. "Me too. What do you think we should do?"   
  
"I want to be the hero and keep investigating, but I don't think we even know what we're dealing with. It's at our work. Are we involved even if we don't want to be?" Charlie looked scared and Castiel didn't know what to do to help.   
  
"Well, looking at the tapes and everything doesn't do any harm. And the man and woman who helped me last night seemed to know what to do. If I see them again we could pass on any information we have?"   
  
Charlie thought this over for a moment. "That sounds good. I like it." She smiled at Castiel, who felt himself relax a little. It was strange when Charlie wasn't smiling.   
  
Maybe another subject change. "I was watching Game of Thrones but I don't think I understood it right."   
  
"Oh, Castiel." Charlie looked delighted. "Move over." She scooted up the bed to lean her back against the headboard, facing Castiel's TV. "You just do not appreciate it properly but don't worry, young grasshopper, I am here to help."   
  
That was confusing but at least she looked much happier now. Castiel could watch another episode of Game of Thrones if that was the consequence. 


	5. Chapter 5

The tracking spell was indecisive, jumping from place to place, so the four of them were patrolling the city, hoping to catch something that Abaddon was doing. Cassie and Sam said they had run into Orthon outside Roman Industries but had said it was disguised as Meg and had run off before they could engage.   
  
Dean was feeling an itching sort of impatience as he scanned the park, searching for any sign of Abaddon or any other Fae. He had been here for three days already and with nothing to show for it. His mother would be disappointed.  
  
As if the fates had heard him, he felt a wave of sickness, a sure sign of one of Abaddon's Fae. He turned and sprinted through the trees of the path, following the wave.  
  
He heard someone scream, a human girl by the sound of it, and sped up, crashing through the undergrowth and asking trees to let him by. They didn’t obey as readily as they did his brother, but they still recognised one of the Fae. It didn't take him long to find Orthon in its human form, standing over two human girls.  
  
"I can see your face," the dark haired girl said, sounding horrified even as she stood in between the other girl and Orthon.  
  
"Well, aren't you a special one," Orthon said in Meg's voice. Dean had heard enough and brought his gun up in one smooth movement. Unfortunately, the movement caught Orthon's eye and it disappeared into black smoke.  
  
The red-haired girl, her hair a more fiery orange than Anna's dark red, turned to look but the dark haired girl stayed, hunching over as her hands went to her stomach.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Dean. Are you two okay?"  
  
"I'm Charlie and this is Dorothy. What was that?" This made Dorothy look round as well and she paled and stumbled backwards, pulling Charlie with her as she did so.  
  
"Dorothy, what?" Charlie grumbled but didn't resist.  
  
"He's one of them, Charlie." Dorothy's voice cracked like a whip and the hand that had come up as if to ward Dean off was shaking. Now she was facing Dean, he could see the spreading stain in the dark brown of her jacket.  
  
"I am not like them," Dean said but Dorothy scoffed. Dean halted where he stood and didn’t move any closer.  
  
"I can see your face, monster," she said and pushed Charlie behind her.   
  
"I'm not human but I'm not like them." He waved a hand at where Orthon had been and resisted the urge to yell at her. "Look, you're hurt. Why don't you go to the hospital? I won't come."   
  
"What? You're hurt? Dorothy?" Charlie asked, stepping out from behind Dorothy and turning to face her. Dean knew when she had seen the stain for her eyes grew wide and her breath grew shallow. "We've got to get you to a hospital." Then she froze and turned her head slowly to look at Dean. "What do you mean you're not human?"   
  
Dorothy glared at Dean and he bit his tongue, halting the words that almost burst out of his mouth and decided to answer Charlie's question instead. "I'm one of the Fae. And I have to hunt down the Fae that attacked you." The obvious fear made up Dean's mind. "Look, just go to the hospital. I'm going to try and get hold of Orthon." He disappeared, leaving the two of them alone.   
  
Sam was waiting for him when he got back to their base. "Found Orthon. Then lost them again," Dean said in greeting.   
  
"Where?" Sam put his spell book to one side to look up at Dean from his seat.   
  
"Romans Park. Why do I feel like there's a relationship between it and Roman Industries?"   
  
Sam sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Dick Roman, the owner of Roman Industries, owns half of the town. The park, the golf course, the law firm, and probably half of City Hall. What I can't find is whether Roman is in league with Abaddon."   
  
"I thought the portal opening in Roman Industries was an accident?" If it was planned, that made things even harder. "That kid and his friends messing around with the spell book. That's what Missouri and Pamela said."   
  
"Yeah, but someone cleaned up afterwards. And I can't get into Roman industries, no matter what Cassie and I try. That's not something that could be set up by Fae alone so obviously someone at Roman industries knew about the Fae before we even got here."   
  
"That's not completely impossible. Someone encountered Mother when she was young and you bet he's going to make sure his kids and grandkids can protect themselves." Their mother didn't like talking about when she was younger but Missouri was more than happy to talk about it when Dean was being sad about Cas around her.   
  
"It's way too coincidental." Sam looked down at his book. Mother had told him that to be a good leader, you had to listen to other members of your team. Even if that member was your annoying little brother.   
  
"Keep me updated. I'm going to try and get some more information about Orthon. See you later, Sammy." And he turned around and walked right back out the door. Time to hunt down the hospital.   
  
Charlie was in the coffee shop next to the hospital, sitting on her own in the corner. She was staring down at her drink, lost in thought, until Dean walked up and sat down opposite her. She startled until she realised who was sitting opposite her.   
  
"You do anything and I'll scream," she said. Dean really wished his mother had taught fewer morals so he could cast spells on Charlie without remorse.   
  
"Against Abaddon's Fae, that won't do anything. It would just damn everyone else in the room."   
  
Charlie went pale but gamely continued on. "Who is Abaddon?"   
  
"She's the reason we're here. She came through a portal in the human world and although we don't know her exact plans, we do know she can't be allowed to continue. Orthon is one of her foot soldiers, goes by the name of 'Meg'. I need to find them both and the best way to do that is find out why Orthon attacked you two in the first place."   
  
Charlie stared at Dean, her face showcasing her every thought as she struggled with the knowledge. She had none of the wonder Cas had on his face when Dean had told him but he supposed that their introductions were different.   
  
Charlie took a sip of her drink and judging by her face, discovered it was cold. "I don't know why this Orthon wanted to attack us. Dorothy and I were on a date and I hadn't - oh no." Dawning realisation on Charlie's face had Dean sitting up, his interest reignited.   
  
"What?"   
  
"The black smoke that Orthon disappeared into, I knew it looked familiar!" She pulled out her phone and tapped out something. "Look, come to my house later. Where I work, I've got some pictures and Orthon is there, in the pictures."   
  
Dean felt hope rising in his stomach. "Do you work at Roman industries?" Charlie looked wary and Dean grinned. "I knew it. I knew something was going on there. I'll meet you at your house."   
  
"Wait," Charlie said before grabbing a napkin and a pen out of her bag and scribbling something on it. "This is my address. I'll give you the pictures."   
  
"Thanks." Dean gave what he had been told was his most charming grin but Charlie just smiled and waved goodbye. He left the coffee shop and looked up at the hospital. Maybe there was something he could do for Dorothy. He could talk to Sam when he got back.   
  
He walked off, not paying attention the rain that was starting to pour down. He had a lead and was so focused on that he didn't notice the man in the trenchcoat enter the coffee shop behind him. 


	6. Chapter 6

When Castiel went back to work, he took a very roundabout route to avoid the bus stop where he had run into Meg. He still found himself examining the people around him, looking for any hint of the woman and found his heart pounding as he caught sight of another brunette woman. It was the most stressful journey into work he had ever had.  
  
As he walked through the parking lot, he caught sight of a flash of movement and quickly moved his head, only to see that it was a pigeon landing on someone's car. He grimaced to himself and rubbed the back of his neck. He needed to stop being so jumpy.   
  
Just as he was saying this to himself, he caught sight of a familiar face, though this one was a little more welcome than seeing Meg again. The tall man with the brown hair that was swept back off his face was easily recognisable from the time he had saved Castiel outside this very building. He was leaning against the railings outside the building, watching everyone going in. Although Castiel was still confused about how the man knew his name, he felt himself relax after seeing the man there. He had managed to scare Meg off. It was reassuring that he was there.   
  
Feeling a bit better, Castiel went into work.   
  
***  
  
The day passed much quieter than normal without Charlie or Tracy there. He had tried to visit the basement area where Tracy had got hurt but he had run into Dick Roman before getting any further and had to leave it. Getting fired from his job would do nothing to help anyone.   
  
The man was gone by the time he left that evening, as was mostly everyone else. Castiel felt a cold feeling creep up his spine as a sense of deja vu made him hurry all the faster to his bus stop. He looked back at the Roman building, casting a long shadow over the parking lot in the setting sun.   
  
He turned around and came to an abrupt halt.   
  
"Hello, Castiel." Meg smiled at him. She was just as menacing as he remembered. "This is my friend, Ruby." She gestured to another dark haired girl, just as pretty and just as terrifying. "I told her all about you." His limbs finally unfroze and he turned and ran.   
  
"Oh, you were right, Meg, he is fun," the other woman said, laughing. Castiel didn't know where he could run to, but he knew was that he couldn't stay with the two of them. There was a flash of black smoke and Meg was in front of him. He stumbled and changed direction.   
  
He was breathing so hard it hurt but he didn't know what else to do apart from run. "It seems like you're not happy to see me," Meg said, appearing in front of him again.   
  
A hard shove to his back sent him flying to the ground and as he put his hands out to stop himself, he felt a sharp pain in both hands. Castiel rolled and got to his feet in a movement which would be impressive any other time but now he felt like he was standing for his death.   
  
"What do you want?" he asked. Ruby walked up and although they looked completely different, Castiel was reminded of his Ruby. Something about the way she walked or the way she smiled was familiar but it only took one look into her eyes to realise there was no mercy there.   
  
"Playtime's over?" Meg pouted, an affected expression.   
  
"I know you like him, Meg, but we do have a job to do." Ruby stalked closer to Castiel. "So, here is what we want from you, Castiel." She leaned closer and Castiel stepped backwards. Ruby smiled. "You've been investigating the basement of your workplace. Well, you and your friends. And we want to know why."   
  
Castiel felt his mind stutter a little in shock. He knew Charlie had been on to something when she had that picture of Meg, but for it to be definitely proven like this was something different. "What?" He asked, trying to buy himself some time. The information about the cameras didn't seem to be worth that much but it was very likely that Meg and Ruby would kill him afterwards. That was what Meg had planned last time. He couldn't run, that much was obvious, so it seemed all he could do was stall for time and hope that another idea would come to him.  
  
"Oh, don't do that, Castiel," Meg chided. Her hand twisted and Castiel's mouth filled with blood as something in his throat gave a sharp pain. His hands rose to grip uselessly at his throat as he choked, spitting out the blood that kept coming. There was a flash of light and he closed his eyes.   
  
Meg screamed and the blood suddenly stopped coming. He spat a few more times and opened his eyes to see that Meg and Ruby's attention was drawn to the right of Castiel.   
  
"Why is he so well protected?" Meg hissed as she clutched her arm. There was a black, tar-like liquid staining her red top and an ugly look on her face. "The other employees were so easy to kill, why is he so hard?"   
  
"Because we're here now," an unfamiliar female voice said and Castiel turned his head to see another woman with red hair, a shade darker than Charlie's and large, pale eyes that were focused on Meg with obvious dislike. "And we're going to stop you."   
  
"Oh, look, it's Anna. Or do you prefer  _Anael_?" Meg stood up straight, letting go of her arm.   
  
"I would prefer that you not call me anything." The woman replied and there was another flash of light. Ruby screamed in rage and Castiel spat out another mouthful of blood before running away.  
  
This time no one appeared in front of him and when he looked back at the battle, he saw the red-haired woman standing alone. While he was looking, he ran straight into someone and knocked them to the ground.  
  
"Hey!" Castiel helped her up, glancing back at the way he came from. He didn’t trust Meg and Ruby not to follow him.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said as the woman brushed herself off. She raised her head and Castiel recognised her. “Jo?” Jo looked up and her eyes widened.  
  
"Oh my God, what happened to you?" She asked. "Mom!" She called next, making Castiel jump.  
  
"I was attacked. I was running from them," Castiel explained as footsteps announced the arrival of someone else. Ellen came up and immediately started to look her daughter up and down.   
  
"Jo, what happened?" Her voice was brisk and after making sure Jo was okay, she turned to Castiel. "Castiel, where are you hurt?"   
  
"My throat. She did something to it and I started choking on blood." The taste of blood was still there and Castiel's stomach rolled.   
  
"There's no bruising that I can see, just the blood. It must be inside. Come on, let's go and get you cleaned up." Castiel followed them, feeling tired and in pain. This was getting to be an unwelcome trend for him.   
  
***  
  
"Dean." Dean blinked. He was dreaming, he had to be. There was no reason for him to be hearing that voice when he was awake. He didn't want to turn around and confirm that his mind was making things up but he knew he had to. "Dean, are you just going to ignore me?" He spun around and stared at the familiar face. Cas was there and was looking right at him, recognition making his eyes bright.   
  
"Cas," he said hoarsely. "Cas!" He stumbled closer, unable to take his eyes off him. For years, he had kept turning to a space that wasn't there. He had spent many days with Missouri and Pamela, just talking about Cas and how he was doing in the human world. "I've missed you so much."   
  
"Me too, Dean," Cas said, smiling happily. His eyes shone even brighter, almost glowing in the darkness of the warehouse, matching the white shine of his teeth.  
  
Dean continued to smile as his hand crept to his pocket. As he worked the cork out of the potion bottle, he said, "You know what I missed the most about you, Cas?"   
  
"What, Dean?" Cas asked. Even his hair shone in the darkness.   
  
"How very human you are." With that, Dean pulled the bottle out and let the liquid fly over the image of Cas. Cas gave an inhuman shriek and his features melted away as Dean watched. Let behind was another familiar face. "Hello, Nick."   
  
"You're never satisfied, are you, Dean?" Nick said, wiping his face with his hand. He looked up and laughed. "You don't want anyone else and now you don't even want dear little Castiel."   
  
Dean smiled back at him. "What I want to know," he pulled his knife out of his holster. "Is how you know about Cas."   
  
"Well, I do know the man was the reason we broke up." Nick looked relaxed but as Dean stepped closer, he stepped away.   
  
"We broke up because you were a lot more turned on by power than anything else. You must have seen Cas' face otherwise you wouldn't be able to replicate it. And you're going to tell me how." He twitched the knife and when Nick looked down, his expression seem to flicker and gain a hard edge. "You remember when you led Alistair and Lilian to me? I learned a few things.”  
  
"Dean!" Sam, followed by Cassie and Anna, came rushing through the warehouse door. Nick smirked and disappeared into a rush of black smoke.   
  
"Well, that's new," Dean muttered as he sheathed his knife. "What's going on?"   
  
Sam looked between where Nick had been and Dean and opened his mouth, obviously to say something about it, when Anna interrupted.   
  
"I ran into Orthon," she said flatly.   
  
"What? How? Didn't I tell you to avoid them?" Dean asked. God, he knew what Orthon had did to her, to her family, and that was why he wanted her far, far away from them.   
  
"That's not all," Cassie said seriously. "They attacked Castiel again."   
  
And with that, Dean was furious. "Again? Explain." He barked. 


	7. Chapter 7

Getting an explanation didn't make it better for Dean. He still wanted to head to Castiel's house, even though he didn't have an exact address, and make sure that he was okay with his own eyes. Sam pointed out that he would just draw Abaddon's attention even more to Castiel and suggested visiting Kevin instead.   
  
"Why would I want to visit Kevin?" Dean asked. He couldn't stop pacing even though he knew it annoyed Sam. Maybe that was part of the reason he did it.   
  
"Because Kevin can help us to get information. Not just about Abaddon but about what she's doing in this world and why Roman Industries is at the centre of it," Cassie said calmly. She wasn't fazed by Dean's temper, never had been. She used to let him bitch and complain with a completely blank face until Dean ran out of steam.    
  
"Fine. I see your point. But Castiel is injured, am I supposed to sit back and be okay with that?" He knew he was being irrational, he knew it, but it was hard to think properly when he thought about Castiel being attacked by Meg and Ruby together. Anna said he was injured but ran off before she could tell how much.   
  
"You don't have to be okay with it, you just have to do what's best for Castiel anyway," Cassie replied and finally, Dean gave way.  
  
"We'll go see Kevin. If Cas is attacked again though," Mother help him if he was, he would destroy every inch of Abaddon and her Fae, "I'm bringing him here."  
  
"Look, Cassie and I will go and guard Roman Industries. That seems to be where Abaddon and her Fae attack humans. You two go to Kevin. We won't be tempted to approach Castiel but we can keep him safe from Meg and the others." Anna's idea was rational and exactly what Dean wanted to hear as a leader. As someone who cared for Castiel in ways he couldn't begin to understand, he had to grit his teeth to stop himself arguing for him going instead.   
  
"I trust you two to keep him safe," he said quietly and that was what it really came down to. He may want Cas in his sight so he could verify with his own eyes that he was alright, but he trusted Anna and Cassie in his stead.   
  
"Okay. Let's go see Kevin." Sam nodded firmly. He had been jittery ever since they came back and as Cassie and Anna walked off, Dean grabbed his brother's arm to halt him.    
  
"You okay, Sammy?" He asked and Sam gave a wan smile.   
  
"It's just," Sam took a deep breath. "I've heard so much about Cas and how important he is to you. You're not the only one who wants to bring Cas here and make sure he's alright properly." Dean was struck silent for a moment.   
  
"Thanks, Sammy." It didn't make a difference to their actions, but it was good to know that Sam had his and Cas' backs. It made a difference to how Dean felt about it and he felt a little bit of tension in his shoulders release. It meant that when he knocked on Kevin's door later, he even managed to smile a little.   
  
"Hey, Kevin," he said, only to get an unimpressed look from the human. "What did I do now?"   
  
"Why do you always show up when I'm having a good day?" Kevin asked, but stood aside to let Dean and Sam into the building anyway. "Come in." The words released the wards Kevin had put up, making sure the two of them could cross the threshold.   
  
"Is that any way to greet your guests?" Dean asked, even though he knew he sounded like a dick.   
  
"Dean!" Sam hissed but Kevin cracked a smile. It was small but it was there.   
  
"Guests, no. You guys, yeah." He led the two of them past his shelves of books and weaved his way into a tiny kitchen through the stacks of books that took up most of the floor space. Dean tried to follow Kevin's path without knocking over any of the stacks but he heard something shift after he brushed past it.   
  
Kevin gave him a look, but it was more amused than anything, and started fiddling with a dilapidated coffee maker.   
  
"I could swear this book was in our library," Sam said behind him, sounding discomfited.  
  
"Probably," Kevin said, shrugging. "So, what can I do for you two?"  
  
"Abaddon," Dean said firmly and then started as a whispering started up from the stacks of books around them.   
  
"Why would you say that name?" Kevin demanded, stalking past Dean and Sam into the library. "Hush will you, she's not coming here." The whispering grew quiet but it took a long few moments.   
  
"What was that?" Sam asked, eyeing the stack of his books by his feet with a wary eye. Dean thought that was pretty sensible, he had already stepped into the kitchen which seemed to be the only room without any books.   
  
"Self-protection of a sort. There's so much magic in these books that they become almost sentient after a while." Kevin seemed unconcerned by this revelation but Dean made a mental note to make sure there were no books in his bedroom when he got back home. "So, you're after the Darkest of Fae," he said as he followed Sam into the kitchen and shut the door. "Tracking spell?"   
  
"We've done it, but it keeps going wild. I think Aba- she is moving all over the place to confuse it. The only place that shows up consistently is Roman Industries and we already know that." Kevin went back to the coffee maker as Dean explained.   
  
"So what do you want me to do?" He asked. "Coffee?"   
  
"Please," Sam said and Dean shook his head, more than a little annoyed that they were drinking coffee instead of hunting down Abaddon.   
  
"Can we get back to the point?" He asked testily after Sam and Kevin both had cups of coffee.   
  
"Look, I know I'm a link but I don't know everything. I already told you guys that Abaddon," the books hissed from the other room and Kevin rolled his eyes, "I told you she was here. I've been trying to find her as well but like you said, she keeps moving her base so there's no chance of getting a lock."   
  
It looked like Dean should have just gone with Cassie and Anna.   
  
"Is there anything you can tell us?" Sam asked.   
  
Kevin raised his mug at Sam. "I can tell you that a portal for Fae to travel through used to be pretty commonplace but now there's a ton of safeguards in place so you would need humans to create a portal between the human world and your world. I'm not sure how she managed to get here in the first place, but I think it happened in Roman Industries. And I think the head of Roman Industries, Dick Roman, is involved somehow. It's likely that he's the one who opened the portal."   
  
"So we try and find Dick Roman and see if he leads us to Abaddon?" Dean asked. Having a possible lead quelled his frustration a bit but he was still anxious to get out of this claustrophobic place with its shelves of watching books.   
  
"I think we need to go back to Roman Industries," Sam said quietly. "I found a patch of ground outside, at the base of Roman Industries, where all the plants were dead. It was like the very earth was scorched and sick."   
  
Kevin nodded. "Sounds promising. Everything I've tried to get on Roman Industries has been blocked. On the surface it's a normal American company but it's far too clean and normal. Something is going on."   
  
"Alright. Thanks, Kevin."   
  
"Yeah. Thanks, Kevin." Dean echoed his brother, although he didn't feel like he had really got much from Kevin at all. Kevin's look said he had picked up on the tone but wasn't fazed by it.   
  
"Oh, go be grateful somewhere else. I'll come find you if I find anything else." He waved them off and Dean and Sam got to escape the house.   
  
"I guess we'll have to go to Roman Industries." Dean tried not to feel too smug but judging by Sam's look, he hadn't succeeded.   
  
"You still can't approach Cas," Sam warned.   
  
"Shut up, Sammy."   
  
***  
  
The thing Castiel had the most trouble with of this whole magic-is-real thing was how he was supposed to keep on going to work as normal. Especially when his work seemed to be the focus of whatever was going on.  
  
He had managed to get a lift in from Rachel after she heard he had been attacked again at the bus stop but even walking across the parking lot made him nervous.  
  
And when he turned a corner to see the two women that had been involved with saving his life, just on different days, he ducked back, down behind some garbage cans. It wasn't terribly well hidden but the women started walking towards him and he didn't have a lot of choice.   
  
"Any sign of Orthon?" The red-haired woman, Anna, asked and the dark haired one shook her head.   
  
"Do you think it's because we're in sight?" She asked.   
  
"Possibly, but last time Sam left the site Castiel was attacked again." Castiel jerked in surprise but shrank back against the wall. "At least when they're focused on Castiel, they're not attacking everyone else," Anna said. The two of them stopped and peered around the corner.   
  
"I still don't see him and you know how Dean will react if Castiel gets attacked again."   
  
Castiel didn't hear what Anna said in response. The mention of Dean made his stomach churn and he didn't quite know what to think. He hadn't been seeing things the other day in the cafe, but to know that Dean was involved in everything that was going on and that he knew these two women that seemed to be connected to Meg in some way… it shook Castiel quite a bit. Dean had disappeared so quickly when they were younger, Michael said he must have moved towns but Castiel remembered Dean crying and he had never gotten a letter even though Dean knew his address. Castiel had never been to Dean's house, the only place they had met up was the junkyard owned by Bobby Singer and it wasn't until he was older that he thought that was weird.   
  
It was frustrating, Castiel felt like he was missing an important puzzle piece that would mean that everything would make sense.   
  
He wished he could see Dean. He would explain it to Castiel.   
  
"So, this Kevin Tran might know something about Abaddon?" Anna asked and the dark haired woman shrugged. Castiel recognised the name. Charlie had been talking about a Kevin Tran, something to do with a comic book store she went to regularly.  
  
"Possibly. He might not be able to tell us anything new but Dean needed something to keep him busy and away from Castiel and any new information about Abaddon would be useful." The woman sighed. "I feel like we're always one step behind Abaddon, like we're just chasing behind her. It may be a slim lead, but it's all we have at the moment apart from waiting for Abaddon's Fae to attack one of the humans again."   
  
"Castiel got lucky twice already, maybe that luck will hold out." Anna's head jerked and the other woman fell silent. "There," she whispered. Castiel blinked and they were gone. He looked around frantically but there was no sign of them.   
  
He crawled out of his hiding place, shaken and confused, but with a possible lead himself. He called in sick to work and then called Charlie.   
  
"Charlie, I think Kevin Tran knows something about what is going on," Castiel said over the phone. "Can we go visit him?" 


	8. Chapter 8

"Do we really think this is a good idea?" Charlie asked as she used her pass to get into the building. It was Saturday so the building was pretty much deserted but Roman Industries encouraged people to do overtime on Saturday so there was still a skeleton staff around. "I mean if the Fae are really so bad, do we want to get ourselves involved with them?"   
  
Charlie's fears were well-founded, especially since Dorothy had just got out of hospital, but Castiel felt determined to see this through. He was the one who kept getting attacked by Meg and the others of Abaddon's 'Fae' and he wanted to know why.   
  
"It'll be fine," Ruby said, although her eyes were darting around, trying to see all of the room at once. "We'll go have a look and if any of us want to turn back, we can."   
  
"You have weapons, don't you?" Charlie asked Jo as they headed towards the stairwell.   
  
"I have an iron knife?" Jo replied. "When Mom got attacked the other day, she said it made the woman back off straight away. She didn't even have to cut her, the sight of it made the woman leave."   
  
"That's reassuring. Why was your mom carrying around an iron knife again?" Charlie’s question went unanswered as they continued on. The stairwell was cold, a sharp contrast to the lobby with the warm sunshine streaming through the glass walls. As they walked down the stairs, Castiel's feeling of foreboding increased.   
  
When they got down to basement level, there was a long corridor with three closed doors leading off it. The first door was locked and Castiel and Charlie both drew the line at breaking and entering, especially when it was their place of work. However, the second door seemed to be the right one. When they started to approach it, Castiel felt nauseated, a feeling that only grew the closer he got to the door.   
  
"Okay, does anyone else feel really ill suddenly?" Charlie asked and when Castiel looked at her, she did look a little green. Jo had a hand over her mouth and Ruby was swallowing frantically.   
  
"I really don't think we should go in there," Charlie said in a small voice and Castiel couldn't help but agree. He took another step forward and almost keeled over, the nausea tripling in an instant.   
  
"I looked at the building plans of the basement and this room should have a window to the outside. Maybe we could look through it and see if we can see anything. Then we're not actually going into the room," Jo reasoned and Castiel found himself nodding.   
  
"Good idea. I'll stay here and see if anything changes." He really wanted to see what was inside that room, what was making them all feel so terrible, but he couldn't force himself to take another step.   
  
"I'll ring you," Jo said. She spun around and jogged back to the stairwell and up the stairs.   
  
"So, she seems nice," Charlie said when the sound of Jo's feet could no longer be heard. It was off topic but Charlie's voice was thin and reedy so Castiel went along with the subject change.   
  
"She and her mom run the Roadhouse. After Meg attacked me again, she saved me and her mom knew just want medicine to give me to help me heal." He touched his throat, feeling it throb in half-remembered pain. "I ended up telling them everything." Castiel didn't remember much of that night, the painkillers had him fading in and out of everything. Jo had texted him later and had promised to help him figure out what was going on.   
  
"So her mom has been attacked before?" Ruby asked, glancing back at the stairwell but looking back at the door again. Charlie crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders as if she was cold.   
  
"You know what, I think I can handle looking into the room if I'm out in the sun. Do you guys mind?" Charlie asked and Castiel shook his head.   
  
"There's two of us here," Ruby said in a bland tone. Charlie looked at her before giving Castiel a smile and hurrying down to the stairwell. "Of course she would bail," Ruby muttered.   
  
Castiel gave her a look. "She hasn't bailed, she's joining Jo. And after her and Dorothy were attacked by Meg she's upset and worried."   
  
"We all are. And you got attacked too." Ruby paced a little where they stood but veered away from the door every time she came close.   
  
"I'm involved in some way and I want to know how. That's why I'm here." There was a noise from the stairwell after Castiel finished talking and he moved down the corridor. "Charlie?" He saw a figure spread-eagled at the bottom of the steps, the flame-red head immediately recognisable. "Charlie!"   
  
"Ah ah, Castiel," the figure of the demon Ruby stepped out from the shadows, walking carelessly over Charlie's body. A man followed her, one with a smarmy look on his face.   
  
"So this is who Dean found to replace me? Not much to look at for sure," the man said caustically. Footsteps behind him let Castiel know that Ruby, his Ruby, had joined him.   
  
"And it's my better half," demon Ruby said.  
  
"What are doing here?" Castiel asked. His heart beat so loud, he was sure it could be heard. Every instinct was screaming at him to run but he remembered how that had turned out last time.  
  
"You wanted to know what was going on." Ruby's smile was cutting. "Well, now you're going to find out." His Ruby shifted behind him and her demon namesake looked at her. "Don't worry, we wouldn't think of leaving you behind."  
  
***  
  
The last thing Dean expected to see outside Roman Industries was Orthon. Well, Orthon was expected but an injured Orthon backing away from a blonde, human woman was definitely not. But as he moved closer, thinking the woman needed his help, he felt the chill of cold iron, emanating from the knife in the woman's hand. He stopped and he felt Sam, Cassie and Anna do the same as they each felt the weapon.   
  
Orthon looked from the woman to the Fae, snarled and vanished into black smoke again.   
  
"I got her in the shoulder with my knife," the woman said quickly. As she turned, Dean flinched back instinctively from the knife and the woman drew up short. "Is the knife really that powerful?"   
  
"Why don't you put it away for now? We don't want anyone accidentally getting cut." Anna was aiming for soothing but it sounded more wary to Dean and he could tell without looking that she had her eyes on the knife.   
  
The woman's eyes glinted and her grip tightened on the knife. "Who are you?"   
  
"Put the knife down." Anna's voice was harsh and it made the woman set her jaw. Dean was familiar with stubbornness, but he really didn't have time for it now.   
  
"My name is Dean, this is my brother, Sam, and my friends, Anna and Cassie. Where's Cas? Is he alright?" There was a bad taste at the back of his throat. It was coupled with a strong sense of foreboding pushing Dean on faster and faster.   
  
"You're Dean? Castiel's Dean?" The woman asked, her body softening a little and her expression more than a little curious.   
  
Even with the sense of unexplained urgency pushing him on, Dean still took a minute to smile at being 'Castiel's Dean'. He couldn't believe Cas still remembered him.   
  
"Yeah, that's me," he replied quietly. He felt a hand on his shoulder, Sam's hand, giving him a comforting squeeze.   
  
"I'm Jo, I’m a friend of his. I helped him after she," she gestured to where Orthon had been, "attacked him the second time. They're inside, outside the door in the basement where everything is coming from. None of us wanted to go in so I said I would look in the window but I was attacked by Meg before I could see anything."   
  
Dean desperately wanted to yell at Jo for thinking that they should be investigating what Abaddon was doing. It was like they were trying to put themselves in harm's way, but he wanted to find Cas first.   
  
"Where is Cas?" He demanded, only to be elbowed by Cassie. She raised one eyebrow at him. Jo crossed her arms and gave him the same look. He bit his tongue and looked away.

  
"I apologise about Dean, he has a one-track mind. What he meant to say was that was good knife work but we really want to make sure Castiel and the rest of your friends are okay. They're inside?" Cassie said. Dean was still looking away so he was the first one to see the redhead that Orthon had attacked earlier that week.   
  
"Isn't she one of Cas' friends?" Sam asked when he followed Dean's gaze.  
  
"Charlie!" Jo said, in surprise. Charlie was walking strange, keeping a hand on the wall and almost stumbling her way over to them. Dean jogged up to her as she stumbled and almost fell. Jo came from behind and put an arm around Charlie's shoulders.   
  
As Charlie lifted her head, the bruise on the side of her forehead became even more evident.   
  
"What happened?" Jo asked, obviously seeing the bruise as well.   
  
"They took them," Charlie said, speaking to Dean rather than to Jo. "Castiel called her Ruby and I don't what the guy was called. They pushed me down the stairs and I hit my head but they took both Castiel and Ruby. Our Ruby, not theirs."   
  
"Fuck." 


	9. Chapter 9

The air felt funny, that was the first thing that Castiel noticed after he woke up. It didn't feel heavy, like a humid summer's day, or cold. It felt like the very air itself was poisonous and it burned when he breathed it in. It made him cough and it made his eyes water but he couldn't stop breathing it in.  
  
Everywhere where his skin was exposed to the air stung like nettles had been brushed against it. Castiel drew his hands in to his body in a futile attempt to protect them but that hurt even more and tears pricked his eyes.   
  
"Stop crying," a soft voice said. It sounded distant and far away but Castiel recognised Ruby's voice and so forced his eyes open. She was in front of him, looking as bad as he felt, her blonde hair tangled and dirty.   
  
"How," he said before pausing to cough, "how long have we been here?"  
  
She shook her head and then winced and stopped the movement. "I don't know. They dragged me along but I passed out when my head hit something hard. Then I woke up in this room and everything hurts." She sounded small and worried, completely unlike the Ruby he knew, and Castiel reached out a hand to her before he could think about it. She gripped his hand even as the contact between them burned as well.   
  
"Why does the air feel like this?" Castiel wondered even if he knew that Ruby wouldn't be able to answer him. She shrugged, but another voice spoke up.   
  
"It's magic. Your human brains can't handle the thought of magic so it makes something up about the air." Meg stepped out of the shadowed doorway. "It's not your bodies that are in pain, this kind of magic reaches your very soul."   
  
Castiel tensed as if he would be able to throw off the effect but all it did was make his head start to pound.   
  
"Careful how you talk to me, Meg," the dark haired Ruby stepped forward and Castiel's Ruby flinched backwards.   
  
"Who are you?" She asked, pushing herself to sitting. It took a great deal of effort but Castiel did the same. Standing felt a little beyond him but at least they were able to look them in the eye properly now. Their looming figures still intimidated Castiel but that was more to do with the fact that he knew what they were capable of. Even Ruby seemed intimidated and she hadn't been attacked by these two women-demon things twice.   
  
The demon Ruby knelt down in front of Castiel's Ruby. "Why, I am your better half, Ruby," she purred. She looked far more interested in Ruby than in Castiel and Castiel didn't know whether he should be worried about what this meant for Ruby or glad for what it meant for him. Ruby was only here because of the demon's interest in her but there was a small part of Castiel that was glad of the company all the same.   
  
"What does that even mean?" Ruby asked, sounding frustrated and the demon slammed her hand down onto the concrete without a flinch, even from the loud bang that resulted from it.   
  
"It means that when I was created, someone screwed up. And they were left, with you." The demon tilted her head and looked down at Ruby. The cruel interest on her face made Castiel feel sick and that was even without the obvious impact her words were having on Ruby.   
  
"You're lying," Ruby said, her voice stunned. Castiel wanted to say something but Meg dropped to her knees beside him and clamped her hand over his mouth. Her touch smelt like smoke and Castiel gagged silently, wrenching his head back from her hand but he just ended up smacking his head against the wall behind him. He retched again and only vaguely listened to the demon's explanation that both she and Ruby were created in an experiment and since Ruby couldn't be killed without destroying the demon, she was dumped on the steps of a hospital in the human world.   
  
Castiel registered faintly the fact that Ruby couldn't be killed by these demons and felt a little relieved. Not by much though because the next thought he had was everything that could be done to a human without killing them and his stomach turned.   
  
"Why have you kidnapped her then?" He rasped and Meg gripped his chin, shutting his mouth with a cruel twist of her fingers.   
  
"You should let her speak. We'll get to you soon," she whispered and Castiel looked up at her. He couldn't remember when he had last been so terrified, but hope that they would end up getting out of this situation in one piece was rapidly dwindling.   
  
"Castiel," Ruby said desperately and the demon's face flickered. She seemed annoyed and stepped between Ruby and Castiel so their view of each other was blocked.   
  
"You may be human but you're part of me, which makes you better. You're going to live, Castiel is not. Why don't we focus on what's going to happen to you afterwards?" The demon's voice was clear but it had a possessive undertone that Castiel was thankful wasn't directed at him. Then he felt awful because it was directed at his friend and he wasn't able to even talk to her.   
  
A sound made Castiel jerk, trying to move to see Ruby around the demon's legs. Meg's eyebrows had shot up and Castiel was hoping that he had heard wrong, that Ruby hadn't just spit at their captors.   
  
"Shut up," Ruby bit back. "What do you mean Castiel isn't going to live?"   
  
Meg smiled and looked like she was going to answer herself but there was a wave of something in the air, something that made the air even thicker and more nauseating than before, and she straightened up along with the demon Ruby.   
  
"Don't worry, she'll explain," Meg said to Castiel before the two demons left them alone, walking straight out of the doorway.   
  
"Castiel," Ruby said again and Castiel looked at her. She was breathing fast and he inched closer again. "I want to go home," she said quietly. Castiel agreed completely.   
  
The next woman Castiel had only seen in pictures but he knew her name, Abaddon. As he looked into her eyes, the hope that they would both get out of here in one piece dwindled into nothing. She would not let them go alive.   
  
"It's so good to see you, Castiel," Abaddon said. She smiled, her red lips matching her hair. She, like the other two demons standing beside her, looked like a beautiful woman but the cruelty was all too obvious in the lines of her smile. She ignored Ruby completely, not even glancing her way as she strode forward and picked up Castiel as if he was as light as a small child, dragging him out of the room. Ruby got to her feet, staggering a little, as she tried to follow them but Castiel looked back just in time to see her demon half step between them.   
  
"This is just between the two of them," Meg said. Her eyes looking joyful, or as joyful as they could, as she watched Castiel get dragged from the room. Castiel could fight but it was too easy to predict the outcome and he was saving his strength for when he actually had a chance.   
  
They seemed to be a warehouse, Castiel noted, as Abaddon put him on his feet and then dragged him further along. A dusty, abandoned warehouse and if he was Charlie, he would make a joke about what a cliché it was to be held captive in an abandoned warehouse. But the air choked the very words before they even got out of his mouth and he let himself be pulled into an abandoned office.   
  
"You are going to show me everything," Abaddon said, her lips curling into a mockery of a smile. She leaned forward and Castiel leaned back, not wanting to be any closer to Abaddon that he had to. Her smile widened but she put her hand to the back of Castiel's head and forced him into place.   
  
The office disappeared and there was Dean.   
  
 _"I'll show you what I can do, Cas!" He yelled and Cas watched as Dean, a young, child-sized Dean, made a mini tornado appear. The sun was glinting off the old cars that were sitting all around them and Castiel clapped and laughed with happiness.  
  
_ _"That's brilliant, Dean!" He danced up to Dean and pulled him into a hug as he watched the tornado explode outwards with nothing more than a breeze against his face. Dean hugged him back.  
  
_ _"I know it is." He sounded smug but Castiel just felt fond. Dean was his best friend and the magic he could do was worth the smugness. "But you can't tell anyone."  
  
_ _Castiel scoffed. Of course he knew not to tell anyone. He had seen the movies. He didn't want Dean to be taken away and locked up. Besides, who would he tell?  
  
_ _"Of course not."  
  
_ _Dean smiled. His green eyes seemed to glow and Castiel pressed himself closer, fascinated by the light. "You're my best friend, Cas," Dean said softly.  
  
_ The scene faded into another before Castiel could blink.   
  
 _"My brother is called Sammy. Do you have any brothers, Cas?" Dean asked. They were sitting in a forest instead of Bobby Singer's junk yard and Dean was twirling a stick like it was a magic wand, only he said that faeries didn't have magic wands. It was a shame. Castiel could imagine Dean with a magic wand.  
  
_ _"Lots. They're my half-brothers though, but I have two younger sisters!" His sisters were much cuter and nicer than the rest of his family. "Their names are Hael and Rachel."  
  
_ _"What are your brothers' names?" Dean asked and Castiel frowned. He didn't like talking about his brothers, Raphael had tried to stop him from coming to see Dean. Castiel had never disobeyed his brothers before. They were so much older than him and looked after him while Mother and Father were gone.  
  
_ _"Michael, Lucifer, Gabriel and Raphael, although Lucifer only answers to Luke. He says he's going to get his name changed when he's old enough and thinks his mother was crazy for naming him that," Castiel parroted his brothers' words and Dean made a face.  
  
_ _"Castiel is better," he agreed, and Castiel felt his cheeks turn red. Dean always did that to him but Castiel didn't mind. Dean said it because it was true, he didn't say it just to embarrass Castiel like Gabriel did.  
  
_ _"Well, you're a better brother than they could ever be, even if they're human and you're Fae," Castiel said. It was loyalty and truth that spurred him onto say it. Dean's appreciative look was only a bonus.  
  
_ _"Thanks, Cas." Dean smiled.  
  
_ The scene was gone and suddenly, Castiel's heart was breaking.   
  
 _Dean's face wasn't human but Castiel had caught glimpses of it throughout their friendship. The glowing green eyes, the pale grey skin and even the sharp teeth, although Dean tried to hide them by keeping his mouth shut.  
  
_ _Dean had let his guard down and Castiel knew what he looked like, or he could imagine pretty well, but he pressed his face to Dean to hold him one last time. Dean smelled like wind and rain and impossible things like that and Castiel's heart ached for missing him even before he left.  
  
_ _When Castiel woke up the next morning in his own bed, Dean's face was blurred and he cried for days. He knew what he had lost and he mourned that for years._  
  
The scene left, leaving Castiel gasping. His cheeks were wet and he stared at a gleeful looking Abaddon.  
  
"The little prince will follow you," she said to Castiel. "Well, that's one problem solved." Everything went unnaturally dark and Castiel passed out again. 


	10. Chapter 10

It was strange running into Bobby Singer again. He still looked at Dean the same, even after he knew he was Fae, like Dean was a troublemaker but that Bobby would help him no matter what.   
  
After this was over, Dean figured he owed everyone a lot of thank yous. Especially Jo and Charlie who he had yelled at a little before Sam had shut him up. Charlie had stuck by him anyway.   
  
"We're going to find him," she had said to Dean quietly, every time there was a moment of silence during their discussion about what they were going to do about Abaddon. Dean wanted to snap at her but he was so desperate for any reassurance, even if it was a lie, that he bit his tongue in order to keep his words to himself.   
  
Cas was worse than missing. He was with Abaddon. Dean had spent enough time studying her ways, and had witnessed more than a few himself from Alastair, that he knew all too well what could be happening to Cas right now.   
  
Bobby had taken one look at him and given him a shot of whiskey. It hadn't felt of anything as it went down, alcohol felt like that to Fae, but Dean appreciated the idea and threw it back easily.   
  
"I always wondered where you went," Bobby said gruffly. Anna had disappeared back to the Fae world for reinforcements and Dean's brain was jumping from bad scenario to worst scenario so quickly that he was worse than useless in the planning session Sam, Cassie, Jo, Ellen and Charlie were doing.   
  
"We told everyone that I moved town," Dean said. He was fiddling with the shot glass and wished that he had one of the dark Fae in front of him that he could bury his knife into.  
  
Bobby shook his head. "Even if you had moved town, you would have stayed in touch. I know kids can be friends at the drop of a hat and forget each other just as quickly but Castiel moped around my junk yard for weeks and you never sent him any letter. That didn't seem like you. At least it was this," he gestured around them, "rather than the things I was imagining."   
  
"Weeks?" Dean asked, his voice a croak. He had known that Cas would have been sad but he didn't think he would be that bad. Everyone always said that humans had short memories and had tried to reassure Dean by saying that Cas would have forgotten all about him in a few short years. It hadn't helped at all, but Dean hadn't quite believed it even when Cas had run out after him at the cafe that day.   
  
"Yep." Bobby scratched his head. "He made friends again of course, mostly at that work of his, but he never really looked at anyone like he looked at you. Course, Castiel didn't seem interested in anyone anyway even if your memory wasn't hanging over them."   
  
"I'm going to get him back, Bobby," Dean said seriously.   
  
"Course you will," Bobby replied easily. "You ain't a quitter and Castiel is just stubborn enough to hold on until help arrives. I don't know about this Abaddon woman but you be careful. Don't be an idjit, alright?"   
  
Dean nodded and smiled for the first time since he heard Cas had been taken. Charlie showed up to hear that last part and blinked at Bobby for a moment before remembering why she came over here in the first place.  
  
"I'm going to let Dorothy know where I am, I'll be back later," she told Dean. He wondered why she had come over to tell him this but he nodded and she left, looking relieved. Jo and Cassie were discussing weapons now while Ellen and Sam were bent over a map of the town, trying to eliminate obvious places they wouldn't be.   
  
Dean watched them for a minute, before he stood up. "Anything I can do?" He asked. His skin was itching, he needed to do something. Anything was better than sitting around imagining what was happening to Cas right at this moment.   
  
Sam glanced up and then did a double take, his eyes sharpening on Dean's face. They glowed slightly, his human mask falling as he looked at his brother. "Can you go and check on Kevin? You know he has no way of contacting us and he might have discovered something that can help us." Sam's voice was calm, not patronising or sympathetic at all. Dean could have kissed his brother for that.   
  
It was more than likely going to be a dead end but it was something to do and it could turn up something useful. Dean was the leader of their group but he nodded and set off, knowing that Sam and Cassie would be far more useful than he could ever be.   
  
Getting to Kevin's place took far shorter time than Dean would have liked, his thoughts were still swirling around his head. When Kevin answered the door, Dean's brain got stuck and he just fell into telling Kevin everything as soon as he got in the door.   
  
The books hissed and spat at him every time he said Abaddon's name but he didn't stop until he was finished, leaving Kevin staring at him, stunned.   
  
"Let me make sure I've got this straight," he started and Dean nodded. "Abaddon has got Castiel and his friend, Ruby. We don't know where they are or why they kidnapped them or even why they were attacking Castiel so much in the first place. Anna has gone back to the Faerie world for more Fae to help fight, Sam and Cassie are melding minds back at the Roadhouse to figure out where Abaddon is and you came here instead of worrying yourself sick there. And there's the small matter of you being in love with Castiel. Have I left anything out?"   
  
Dean was nodding along with everything until the last part. "I didn't say I was in love with Cas," he protested. He didn't really know why he was focusing on that part, but his mind had chosen to focus on the least upsetting part apparently.   
  
"Dean, please," Kevin replied, looking very unimpressed.   
  
Dean started to pace the room but it was cut short when he had to avoid stacks of books on the floor. He had already annoyed them with saying Abaddon's name, he didn't think he would win any friends by knocking them to the floor. "I want him to be safe. Even if it is here in the human world while I'm with the Fae. He was living his life normally and happily before I came back." If they even got Cas back then there was just as much chance of Cas never wanting to see Dean again as there was for him to want to be friends with Dean again.   
  
"To be fair, he was working with Roman Industries before you guys came. If you had stayed at home, he and his friends probably would be dead." Kevin's voice was matter of fact but Dean felt defensive. Abaddon was only targeting Cas because of him. "Trust me, Castiel and his friends were being too curious for their own good. That's why Castiel was attacked the first time. It had nothing to do with you." Kevin rolled his eyes.   
  
Dean wanted to punch him but he also felt himself relaxing. He may have to talk to Cas about when it was and when it wasn't a good idea to investigate magical goings-on in the town, but at least it wasn't his entire fault Cas was targeted. Whether Cas would see it that way was another matter.   
  
"Dean!" Sam's voice came from the mirror Kevin had hanging in his hallway, interrupting Dean about to tell Kevin his last thought. When Dean went to look, Sam looked frantic and Dean immediately tensed again, ready for a fight.  
  
"I'm here, Sam," Dean said.   
  
"Pamela and Missouri have come with Mother and the others. They've got bad news, you need to be here." Before Dean could question it, Sam signed off, leaving Dean to swear at the mirror in frustration. He would throw it across the room but the mirror's curse and the fact that it was Kevin's stopped him.   
  
"Go, I'll let you know if there's anything new," Kevin said, standing in the doorway. Dean didn't need to be told twice. He ran for the Roadhouse and hoped he wasn't too late.   
  
Mother was the first one to greet him, her human skin making her almost unrecognisable but the bearing of the Great Fae she was shone through. There were a few familiar faces in the crowd, but Dean focused on just the one.   
  
"What's happening? What's the bad news?" He asked, striding up to his mother. He didn't have time to greet her, they needed to move now.   
  
Missouri showed up out of the crowd and pulled Dean into a hug. She was one of the few Fae remaining with wings and they flowed out behind her, shining under the light of the full moon. "We have to go rescue your love," she said as she pulled back. Dean was left floundering as she walked off, feeling as confused as he ever did around Missouri. He knew who she was talking about but that wasn't new information and he didn't understand why everyone was so frantic to get him back here for that.  
  
"I don't - what?" He asked his mother, who looked at him with a serious look in her eyes.   
  
"Abaddon has taken Castiel through the portal underneath this Roman Industries building into the Wastelands of the Fae world," his mother said, her voice grave.   
  
Dean's body froze as he struggled to absorb the news. Humans couldn't go into the Fae world, it was toxic for them. "We can't get into Roman Industries, we've tried," Dean said. His lips felt numb and his whole body tense. He wanted to slash something just to try and get rid of some of this helpless anger.  
  
"The human Charlie has found a way in. It seems that the other human that was taken, Ruby, has been left behind with the other Dark Fae. It's just Abaddon and Castiel that have gone through." Sam walked up as his mother explained and she turned to look at them. "It is mostly likely a trap for you two but I know there is nothing I can say that will convince you to stay behind and let others go." Even though it wasn't a question, she paused as if waiting for an answer.   
  
"I need to be with Dean for this," Sam said quietly.   
  
"It's  _Cas_ ," Dean said desperately, unable to explain any other way. His mother looked at him, her eyes sad.   
  
"Dean, if I had known back then," she said before stopping. She smoothed her blonde hair behind her ear, looking lost as to what to say. Dean had spent years angry at her for taking him away from Cas, from taking Cas’ memories from him, no matter how essential it had been and he remembered that anger as a half-forgotten ghost at the back of his mind.   
  
"You had to do it," Dean admitted something he had known for a while but hadn't wanted to vocalise, not even to himself. His mother had many responsibilities, the least of which was him and Sam. He understood that a bit better now. "But I have to do this."   
  
His mother nodded. "Go. Take the human Charlie and Cassie as well. The fewer of you there are, the faster you will go. Anna will stay here and will lead the charge against Abaddon's Fae with me." Dean nodded and prepared to go. "Dean." He looked back at his mother. "Rescuing Castiel is important, but the main mission is destroying Abaddon. Are we clear?" Dean set his jaw and nodded, before walking off with Sam to arm themselves and pick up Charlie and Cassie.   
  
"Rescuing Cas is still going to be our main priority, isn't it?" Sam asked casually, but kept his tone low as they passed other Fae on the way.   
  
"Oh, yeah," Dean replied in the same tone. 

 Roman Industries were completely deserted when they got there and Charlie seemed very jumpy, startling at every moving shadow.   
  
"You're probably safer with us here than you are at home," Cassie said blandly. Charlie gave her a look but stepped closer to them as a cat ran across the parking lot.   
  
"Well, excuse me for being worried about being attacked again. I don't know how Castiel even came into work when he kept getting attacked right outside here." Dean bit his tongue at Charlie's words.   
  
"So, how are we going to get in?" He forced his tone to remain calm as he turned to his brother.   
  
"Charlie is going to let us in. She said she had slept there once before, meaning that it could be considered one of her residences which means she can give us permission," Sam said, sounding pleased. Dean tried to smile back but he was being pushed on by the thought of Cas in the Fae world.   
  
"So, someone has to give you permission to come into any building?" Charlie asked as they approached the front door.   
  
"Any residences," Cassie said. "Businesses normally don't count but the owner of this building has slept here, purposely I think, enough to make it a residence and then only allowed Abaddon and her Fae into it." Charlie flashed her card as she went through the door before turning back.   
  
"Er... come in, I guess," she said. Dean took a deep breath and then stepped over the threshold. He looked down and smiled.  
  
"It worked," Sam said, him and Cassie stepping over after Dean. Charlie led the way to the basement where the portal led.   
  
Dean felt hopeful for the first time since this all happened and he was finally doing something to get Cas back. Abaddon was in trouble now. 


	11. Chapter 11

Castiel's breath rasped in his throat as he stumbled down the dry hill. Abaddon didn't touch him anymore as long as he kept going so he forced himself to carry on walking, even though he wanted to lie down and sleep.   
  
The air was worse here than it was in the warehouse, it pulled at Castiel's skin as if it was trying to force him to the ground. Every step seemed to take up energy that Castiel didn't have and when he tried to breathe in more air his throat screamed at him for water.   
  
Abaddon had transformed as well. Her eyes had become black holes and when she smiled, her red lips parted to show pointed teeth. Similar to Dean's, except that Castiel knew he had very good reason to be terrified of Abaddon's teeth.  
  
Thinking about Dean had Castiel stifling a sob. It was strange sometimes how much he missed Dean when he hadn't seen him in over a decade but after everything that was going on, he just wanted Dean to give a hug like he used to when they were little. If Dean had been there, he would have protected Castiel. And Castiel would have been able to help Dean, at least a little.   
  
"Keep up, Castiel," Abaddon said. Her voice was still smooth but it had a dark undertone. She seemed to be running for something and Castiel wondered if Dean was in pursuit. He tripped, scoring a line in the sand as he did so, but managed to keep his feet. Abaddon barely glanced at him and Castiel relaxed slightly. She hadn't seen. Good.   
  
"Where are you taking me?" Castiel asked, trying to make his voice sound desperate as if he was reaching the last of his strength. He wasn't that good of an actor but it wasn't hard.   
  
"Somewhere I can defend myself," Abaddon muttered. She smiled and looked back at Castiel. "There it is." She gestured and Castiel titled his head, trying to see what she was indicating but everything was blurred before his eyes. He was shaking, he realised dimly.   
  
"Can't walk," he said, falling to his knees. His strength was gone, he had used it all of it to make that mark on the sand. God, he hoped Dean saw it.   
  
"Not yet, Castiel. You can collapse later." Abaddon walked up and pulled Castiel up to standing position. His shoulder wrenched and he cried out, instinctively trying to pull away. Abaddon grabbed him by his neck, cutting off his breathing and Castiel struggled to get away.   
  
"If you don't walk, I'll drag you like this," Abaddon hissed and Castiel waved his hands, trying to get off him now.   
  
She released him and he gasped for breath. He tried to cough to clear his throat but that just made things more painful. Abaddon had already started walking again. Castiel rubbed his throat, focused on her bright red hair and followed her.   
  
Somewhere along the way, he started to hallucinate. Abaddon's red hair became Charlie's at the company picnic that year. The two rocks together became Tracy and Lisa cheering Castiel on and Hael showed up in the dark shape on the ground.   
  
When they got to the ruins, Castiel could see Dean's face in front of his eyes. It was clearer than anything else and Castiel walked towards it, no longer caring about Abaddon at all. Dean was smiling at him and beckoning him closer and Castiel wanted to reach him. Everything would be better if he could just reach Dean and go home, away from Abaddon.   
  
"Not that way, Castiel. If I didn't need you humans so badly, I would exterminate the lot of you," Abaddon said, jerking Castiel's arm. He lost his balance and fell over but Abaddon pulled him straight back up.   
  
"Why do you need us?" Castiel gasped. He tripped over another rock and went down but managed to pull himself to his feet before Abaddon could reach him. The stone ruins that looked like an old watchtower loomed over them and Castiel noticed they were standing in its shadow even though there didn't seem to be any sun in the red sky.   
  
"To open the portals to let my Fae through. When they're through, then I can take Earth. Of course, first I need to get rid of the Winchesters which is where you come in, Castiel." She was bright and cheery and Castiel felt his stomach roil before he vomited all over the path. He hoped he had managed to get Abaddon as well.   
  
The acid burned his throat even more and as Castiel wiped his mouth with his sleeve, he ended up wiping away tears as well. Everything blurred again and he wiped a hand over his eyes, trying to get rid of the tears before Abaddon could see.   
  
"Will you stop crying and hurry up? That human girl that Ruby liked seemed to be stronger I should have taken her. Dean and Sam would have still come, their noble streak and your begging to save your friend would have pushed them to it." Abaddon stopped to rant at Castiel but he was only understanding the words in a vague sort of way.   
  
"You're going to die," Castiel said. It sounded much less threatening than he would have liked as his voice rasped over the words and Abaddon threw her head back and laughed.   
  
Castiel fell to the ground and Abaddon's laughter cut off abruptly. When he looked up, he saw a red feathered arrow sticking out of a stunned Abaddon's shoulder. She blinked down at it and then looked up at Castiel.  
  
They were there, three figures moving in between Castiel and Abaddon and pushing her away. Two of the figures had grey skin and glowing eyes while the third figure had leaves in her hair and green-tinged dark skin.  
  
"Castiel, I'm Sam," one of the grey figures came up to him while the other two fought off Abaddon, who was still managing to put up a fierce fight even with an arrow sticking out of her shoulder.   
  
"Sam," Castiel repeated. His brain had slowed right down, he was watching the fight without realising what was so important about it. Then the grey figure turned and looked at him and recognition struck. "Dean," Castiel said quietly to himself. "Dean!" He yelled, not registering that he was in the middle of a fight and that he shouldn't be distracting him. Dean was here finally.   
  
"Dean, I've got him, it's alright!" Sam yelled afterwards. He had knelt beside Castiel and was holding him down. Castiel hadn't even realised that he was trying to stand up. Dean looked back at them before turning to Abaddon and seemingly moved even faster. Castiel tried to watch but his eyesight kept blurring no matter how much he focused.   
  
"Dean's here," he said to himself. Sam nodded.   
  
"Yeah, Dean's here. And as soon as we get rid of Abaddon, we'll get you home." Sam patted Castiel's arm awkwardly.   
  
"Won't leave," Castiel murmured. Sam shook his head, his eyes on the fight.   
  
"Of course we won't leave you here," he replied. Castiel wanted to say that wasn't what he meant but he couldn't find the words. "Look, Cas, I've got to help them with Abaddon. You'll be okay, won't you?"   
  
Castiel managed to nod and Sam disappeared. Dean had yelled as Abaddon had slashed his wrist with claws that had sprung out of nowhere. Castiel gagged when he saw Dean's blood splattering the ground. Everything was spinning and Castiel couldn't take his eyes off the blood even though Dean had rejoined the fight. They were yelling at each other but it was all swimming together in Castiel's ears.   
  
He slumped against the rock just in time to see Dean pull out what looked like a knife shaped bone and stab Abaddon through the heart. Her body flickered and disappeared in a flash of light and black smoke. Castiel smiled and then closed his eyes.   
  
The next time he woke up, he noticed the difference immediately. His throat still felt sore but when he breathed in, the air felt clean and cool. He opened his eyes to see the sterile walls of a hospital room. A monitor was attached to his finger and beeped steadily at his side and a drip was attached to the cannula in his hand.   
  
No one else was in the room with him so Castiel fumbled for the bed controls in order to sit himself up so he could have a drink of water. It was the most refreshing thing he had ever tasted.   
  
As soon as he finished that glass, he put it down and the door swung open to admit Hael and Charlie.   
  
"Castiel! You're awake!" Hael said, moving to give Castiel a gentle hug after she noticed he was awake. Charlie did the same after Hael let go.   
  
"What happened?" He asked. Hael and Charlie glanced at each other.   
  
"I'm not too sure but judging by the explanations I've been given, I don't want to know anymore. I'm glad you're okay though." Hael squeezed his hand and Castiel smiled back at her. She started talking about her trip in the summer to see the Grand Canyon and Castiel nodded along. He had heard it all before but it was soothing, listening to his sister's voice, even though he itched to know what had happened. Soon, Hael said she had to go to work and gave Castiel another hug before saying goodbye.   
  
"What happened?" Castiel asked Charlie as soon as the door shut behind his sister. "Where is everyone?" Where Dean was was the question he really wanted to ask but he couldn't face the answer. Charlie's face softened and she waved a hand.   
  
"It sounds like you missed all the excitement. Abaddon's Fae attacked all the Fae that had come over to help us and there was a big fight from the window. The good guys won of course and they managed to save Ruby from... Ruby. Her demon half, I think is what she said. Ruby's a little freaked out but seems physically okay apart from that. Tracy, Lisa and Ben are with her now while Jo and I have been taking turns with you. Along with your sisters and brothers. Brother. Gabriel visited once and dropped off that basket of candy but then went to work." She gestured to where a basket was taking over the corner of Castiel's room. It was just like Gabriel, much more than staying vigilant by the bedside was.   
  
"I missed everything then," Castiel said. As soon as he said that his mind brought up flashes from the red desert like place he had been in and flashes of the fight between Abaddon, Sam, Dean and Cassie.   
  
Dean's blood was crystal clear in his mind.   
  
"Is Dean okay?" He asked, grabbing hold of Charlie's wrist. Was the reason Dean wasn't here because he was too badly injured to come?   
  
"He's fine!" Charlie flapped her free hand to try and stop him panicking. He let her wrist go and settled back against his pillows, trying to ignore the disappointment mingled in with the sense of relief he was feeling. "He's like the prince of the Fae or at least, this part of the Fae world, so he has to help sort everyone out. Some of the Fae died during the battle so he has to make sure that all the burial rites are done correctly. Sam and I had to shove him out of the door though. We said you were asleep but he really didn't want to go. You could probably see the scratch marks on the door." Charlie laughed and Castiel felt himself relax a little more.   
  
"He was here," Castiel said drowsily and Charlie nodded.   
  
"Yeah, he stayed until we were sure you were all stable and then left to go and make sure everyone else was alright. He's actually good to talk to when he's not freaking out about you."   
  
Castiel smiled. Charlie's voice was getting dimmer and his body still ached from his time in the Wastes so he found himself drifting off again.  
  
The next time he woke up, he was still in the hospital but it wasn't Charlie by his bedside.   
  
"Dean," Castiel said, blinking rapidly, unable to believe what he was seeing. Dean was slumped over the bed, eyes closed and his head resting against Castiel's leg but at Castiel's voice he jerked upright. "Dean!" Castiel pulled himself up, ignoring the jerk from his cannula as he pulled his drip line too far.   
  
"Cas? Cas!" Dean grinned and it was just as bright as Castiel remembered. Dean pulled him into a hug which wasn't as gentle as Hael's or Charlie's had been but Castiel gripped back just as tightly. He needed the reassurance.   
  
"You're here. You're actually here and I'm here and I'm awake," Castiel said into Dean's ear. He held onto him still, not wanting to let go for the irrational fear that Dean would disappear as soon as he did.   
  
"I know, how long has this been coming?" Dean pulled back a little and smiled at the instinctive noise of protest Castiel made. He only pulled back far enough so he could see Castiel's face, letting their foreheads rest against each other in a familiar pose.   
  
"Charlie told me everything about the battle. What happened with Abaddon?" Castiel asked. His body was twisted round in a position that would soon be uncomfortable but Dean was warm and present underneath his hands and Castiel definitely wasn't letting go.   
  
"We tracked you by your footsteps and we found the marks you made in the ground. Then we heard Abaddon laugh, Cassie shot her, we attacked her and then you decided to give me a heart attack by passing out on me." Dean's tone was joking but Castiel could feel him shaking slightly. "Don't do that again, okay?"   
  
Castiel leaned against Dean, still not quite believing that he was with him in person. Then he remembered something else from his time with Abaddon. "I remember the magic." Dean jerked his arms but said nothing. "I remember you using your powers when we were younger. I remember everything you told me."   
  
"How?" Dean stroked Castiel's hair and Castiel turned his head.   
  
"Abaddon brought them out. Dean, I want you to stay." It was selfish of him to even ask, especially after what Charlie said about Dean being responsible for all the other Fae but he wanted Dean with him.   
  
"What do you think I've been working on while you've been asleep, Cas?" Dean pulled back to grin at him.  


	12. Epilogue

The Roadhouse was still looking a little worse for wear after being the epicentre of a Fae battle but it had only been three months and Ellen and Jo were bound and determined to get it fixed back up to its normal proud state. All the regulars still turned out in droves, including several new ones.   
  
"It's your mother, Dean. I barely got to talk to her the last time she was here and the time before that she was wiping my memories," Cas said as he paced the room, twirling the pool cue. It was his turn but Dean didn't mind waiting. It was more fun to watch Cas anyway.   
  
"She'll be fine. You're important to me and she knows that," Dean told him before thanking Jo as she placed two beers down beside Dean. He handed one to Cas before opening his.   
  
"Really? You went to the prince of a Fae kingdom to fixing up cars with Bobby. I'm fine with it, but I can see why she wouldn't be." Cas took a swig of his beer and then made a face before handing it back to a laughing Jo.   
  
"Has Michael been talking to you again?" Dean demanded. He had managed to meet Cas' entire family, siblings, aunts, uncles and parents combined and in his eyes, Cas was the nicest of the lot, although Cas' sisters and his cousin, Samandriel, were alright. They were the ones that were nicest to Cas so it could just be Dean being biased.   
  
"No. Yes. Possibly." Cas avoided his eyes and Dean put down his beer so he could pull Cas into a hug. He melted into Dean like he always did and in moments like this, Dean found it even harder to regret his decision to stay in the human world with Cas. The only time he had trouble with the human world was when he wanted to scare a human with a small tornado (especially that uncle of Cas') and he was reminded that wasn't allowed. Losing Cas was the worst penalty that Dean could think of so he hadn't given into the temptation but he did miss sometimes being highly respected and known among everyone. If Cas could have come back with him, no one would disrespect him ever again.   
  
"Well, stop. My mom," Dean said, still unfamiliar with this bit of slang, "is nothing like Michael and I know her far better than your brother, who has never met her in his life."   
  
Cas sniggered. "Can you imagine Michael meeting your mother?" He said after Dean looked confused at him.  
  
Dean grinned. He could imagine it only too well. "I would pay to see that," he said seriously. As Cas was laughing, the door to the Roadhouse swung open and his mother, along with Sam and Jess walked through the door. Dean grinned at them but didn't move from his position tangled up with Cas. His brother rolled his eyes and walked up, making Cas jump.   
  
"Good to see you're making him laugh," Sam said as he pulled Dean into a hug. It was quick and as soon as he was done, he turned and gave Cas the same hug. Cas squeaked and Dean smiled as he turned to greet his mother and sister-in-law.   
  
"How are you finding the human world?" He asked Jess, keeping his voice low. Her eyes flashed at him, a bright blue that was captivating even to Dean. It didn't quite match up to Cas' eyes but it came close.   
  
"It's so different. The air, the people, although I don't like the cars," Jess said seriously. Cas and Sam joined the three of them and Dean lifted up his arm for Cas to fit in easily by his side.   
  
"I got to disagree with you there, the cars are the second best thing about this world," Dean replied. Cas' arm slipped around his waist as well and he leaned trustingly against Dean.   
  
"Dean's got an Impala from Bobby. It's his new love," Cas explained, grinning up at Dean.   
  
"What's an Impala?" His mom asked, looking curious. She was looking at the two of them with a faint smile of her face and Dean could almost feel her approval.   
  
"A type of car," Cas said.   
  
"The best type of car," Dean corrected. He wasn't going to have his family thinking anything else. He had picked up enough from Bobby's both times he had been in the human world to know what cars he did and didn't like and he was happy to pass on his biases to the rest of his family.   
  
"If the cars are the second best thing, what's the first?" Jess asked and Dean grinned. Sam was smiling but he knew what was coming.   
  
"Cas, of course," Dean replied smoothly and felt Cas' grip tighten. He looked at Cas to see him turning red in the cheeks.   
  
"You're trying to embarrass me, aren't you?" He muttered to Dean. Dean could only shake his head and press a kiss to one of Cas' red cheeks.   
  
"Only the truth, baby," Dean shot back. One of the human types of slang he liked the most was pet names and took delight in using them at Cas at every opportunity. 'Sweetheart' had got a kiss while 'honeymuffin' had Cas nearly choking with laughter.   
  
"You two are sickening. Like really sickening," Sam said in a long-suffering tone but he couldn't seem to keep the smile off his face either.   
  
"I put up with you and Jess for years," Dean reminded his little brother. Sam ducked his head and took Jess' hand.   
  
"It's cute. Even if you do like those awful cars," she teased. Dean stuck his tongue out at her and pretended not to see his mother's look.   
  
"You'll have to show us this Impala," she said, stopping the teasing from going any further. Dean nodded and straightened up, but not before giving Cas one last kiss to the temple. It may only be a quick visit, but at least his family was seeing how happy he was here.   
  
"Right this way, Mom," he said, leading Cas by the hand, and stepped out into the sun. 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I could have written 30k more on this world and what everyone was doing as Dean and Castiel were doing their thing and expanding on the Fae and their world but I didn't have time and I'm exhausted so it's not happening.


End file.
